The steroid scare almost over??? Florida ends testing.

Here is another link to a story I was forwarded today (much thanks goes to former New Mexican writer Priscilla Gomez for this).
I must say, I was caught up in the steroid hysteria when it hit Major League Baseball back in 2003, but as time passes, I have seen that it was misguided. I recall doing a column about a year ago in which I talked to Robert Zayas about the New Mexico Activities Association's foray into testing, which ended rather quickly after a steroid symposium in 2004.
His concern was with other drugs - namely the illegal and prescription kind plus alcohol - and their effects on high school students. I will give him a tip of the hat today for having the foresight to not leap blindly into testing.
Which is what happened in Texas, Illinois and Florida. That is not to say we should turn a blind eye to steroids and other performance-enhancing substances, but it's encouraging to see that most kids are not falling into that trap which seemed to be gaining popularity with teenagers in general.
But let's not be lulled to sleep. We need to be vigilant about educating everyone about the pros and cons of drugs, as well as how they influence - and in some cases, destroy - lives.